The western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) is a medium-sized species of bird in the family Icteridae, the icterids. About 8.5 inches (22 centimetres) in length, it is found across western and central North America. It is a full migrant, breeding in Canada and the United States with resident populations also found in Mexico. The species has distinctive calls described as watery or flute-like, which distinguish it from the closely related eastern meadowlark. The western meadowlark is the state bird of six U.S. states: Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, and Wyoming. This western meadowlark was photographed perching on a twig in Grasslands National Park, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.Photograph credit: Simon Pierre Barrette
